Recreational Boating Safety Strategy

Consultation has concluded


Help make South Australia’s coastal and inland waters safer.

What's being decided?

We’re developing the first ever South Australian Recreational Boating Safety Strategy – a 5-year plan that focuses on improving safety for recreational boaters and others who share our state’s coastal and inland waters.

Background

Recreational boating is an activity enjoyed by many but our waterways and boating activities can be unpredictable. Sadly, 69 people died on our waterways from drowning due to boating and non-powered watercraft activities over the past 20 years (1 July 2003 – 30 June 2022). Of these deaths, only one person was known to be wearing a lifejacket. (Source: Royal Life Saving Society National Fatal Drowning Database, August 2022).

Another area of concern in South Australian waters is trauma-related fatalities, which typically involve boat collisions, collisions with infrastructure, and impacts between vessels and people in the water. Tragically in the last 10 years there have been five trauma related fatalities on South Australian waters.

Feedback from the community and interested organisations, along with supporting evidence, has led to the identification of five draft priority areas and actions for recreational boating safety to guide us through to 2030.

Stage 1 consultation: 

An initial public consultation was held between 10 November 2023 and 5 January 2024. This included the release of a background paper outlining the key recreational boating safety issues in South Australia and an online survey. Stage 1 of the consultation helped to identify issues and was an opportunity for the community to contribute to solutions that enhance safety across our coastline and waterways.

What we heard:

1635 people responded to the online survey providing valuable input into the development of draft priority areas. You can find the report at What we heard summary.

Get involved

Find out more:

  • Read the Priority Areas Paper for details.
  • Read the background paper.

Have your say by:

What are the next steps?

Feedback received during stage two is now being reviewed and considered while we develop the final South Australian Recreational Boating Safety Strategy.


Help make South Australia’s coastal and inland waters safer.

What's being decided?

We’re developing the first ever South Australian Recreational Boating Safety Strategy – a 5-year plan that focuses on improving safety for recreational boaters and others who share our state’s coastal and inland waters.

Background

Recreational boating is an activity enjoyed by many but our waterways and boating activities can be unpredictable. Sadly, 69 people died on our waterways from drowning due to boating and non-powered watercraft activities over the past 20 years (1 July 2003 – 30 June 2022). Of these deaths, only one person was known to be wearing a lifejacket. (Source: Royal Life Saving Society National Fatal Drowning Database, August 2022).

Another area of concern in South Australian waters is trauma-related fatalities, which typically involve boat collisions, collisions with infrastructure, and impacts between vessels and people in the water. Tragically in the last 10 years there have been five trauma related fatalities on South Australian waters.

Feedback from the community and interested organisations, along with supporting evidence, has led to the identification of five draft priority areas and actions for recreational boating safety to guide us through to 2030.

Stage 1 consultation: 

An initial public consultation was held between 10 November 2023 and 5 January 2024. This included the release of a background paper outlining the key recreational boating safety issues in South Australia and an online survey. Stage 1 of the consultation helped to identify issues and was an opportunity for the community to contribute to solutions that enhance safety across our coastline and waterways.

What we heard:

1635 people responded to the online survey providing valuable input into the development of draft priority areas. You can find the report at What we heard summary.

Get involved

Find out more:

  • Read the Priority Areas Paper for details.
  • Read the background paper.

Have your say by:

What are the next steps?

Feedback received during stage two is now being reviewed and considered while we develop the final South Australian Recreational Boating Safety Strategy.